EMF PP 7.4: A Selection of Possible Studies for the Energy Modeling Forum

Abstract:

The Energy Modeling Forum seeks to improve the use of energy models in the decision and policymaking process. EMF studies, each organized around a key energy issue, provide an opportunity for participating model builders and users of model results to join in examining model strengths and weaknesses. It is the EMF&rsquo;s goal that this cooperative effort will improve communication and understanding among model builders and users. Since selection of a study topic is important in maintaining the relevance of EMF investigations, a broad range of people working and interested in the energy field is polled for possible study suggestions. Typically, a study topic is of broad concern, timely, and the focus of several modeling efforts. EMF has conducted 12 studies on a variety of important energy issues: Energy and Economy, Coal in Transition: 1980-2000, Electric Load Forecasting: Probing the Issues Models, Aggregate Elasticity of Energy Demand, US Oil and Gas Supply, World Oil, Macroeconomic Impacts of Energy Shocks, Industrial Energy Demand, Conservation, and Interfuel Substitution under Alternative Energy Futures, North American Natural Gas Markets, Electricity Markets and Planning, International Oil Supplies and Demands, and Global Climate Change: Energy Sector Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emission Control Strategies. An additional study (EMF 13), Energy Conservation, is currently in progress. This year a wide variety of suggestions for future study topics has been received. Ideas from many of the suggestions have been consolidated into 13 topics covering a spectrum of energy issues. These topics are described in this paper by individual outlines. The issues, topics, and models included are by no means exhaustive, but rather are intended to serve as the basis from which new ideas can evolve. Following these individual topic descriptions, we list suggested topics that were interesting, but for which we do not have the description at this time. Descriptions for these topics will be developed, depending upon the interest in these topics.